Perplexity plans to launch its initial public offering (IPO) in 2028 regardless of how investors respond to upcoming listings from OpenAI and Anthropic, according to CEO Aravind Srinivas.Speaking to CNBC, Srinivas said the company's timeline remains unchanged even as some of the world's biggest artificial intelligence firms prepare to enter public markets. The comments come at a time when investor interest in AI companies is reaching new highs, with OpenAI, Anthropic and SpaceX all moving closer to major public offerings. Srinivas said Perplexity had already been planning a 2028 IPO and that recent developments in the market have not changed that strategy.<h2>Why OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs matter to the AI industry</h2>The AI industry is closely watching upcoming IPOs from some of its biggest players. Anthropic, the company behind Claude AI, recently filed confidentially for an IPO. OpenAI has also reportedly begun the process of preparing for a public listing. Both companies are among the most valuable AI firms in the world and are often referred to as "frontier AI labs" because they develop some of the most advanced AI models available today. Srinivas acknowledged that the success or failure of these listings could influence market sentiment. "I think it's important for the AI industry that these IPOs go well," he said during the interview. He also pointed to the upcoming SpaceX IPO as a potential indicator of investor appetite for large technology offerings. According to Srinivas, strong performances from these companies could strengthen confidence in the broader AI sector.<h2>Are AI company valuations justified?</h2>One of the biggest debates surrounding the AI industry is whether current valuations are sustainable. OpenAI and Anthropic have both attracted enormous investments, pushing their valuations to levels rarely seen in the technology sector.Srinivas believes those valuations are justified for now because the companies remain at the forefront of AI innovation. However, he warned that continued progress is essential. "If for six months you don't see a model capability advance from one of these two companies, then it's a problem for them," he said.&nbsp;The comment highlights a growing expectation among investors that AI companies must continue delivering breakthroughs to maintain their value.<h2>AI spending is becoming a major concern</h2>Another important topic discussed by Srinivas was the growing cost of artificial intelligence. As businesses adopt AI tools across departments, spending on AI services has increased significantly. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has previously described AI costs as a major issue for companies trying to scale usage. According to Srinivas, organisations are becoming more careful about how they spend money on AI. Instead of automatically choosing the most powerful model, businesses are increasingly looking for the most cost-effective solution for a particular task. This shift could reshape how companies deploy AI in the future.&nbsp;The rise of 'tokenmaxxing'Srinivas also discussed a trend known as "tokenmaxxing". The term refers to employees increasing their use of AI tools to appear more productive or technologically advanced. However, Srinivas argued that businesses are now moving beyond simply maximising AI usage. Instead, companies want AI systems that provide the best balance between performance and cost. Perplexity's platform already reflects this approach. The company's AI search engine can choose from multiple AI models depending on the user's request. For simpler tasks, the system may use a cheaper open-source model. For more complex requests, it can switch to advanced frontier models. According to Srinivas, this hybrid approach allows businesses to reduce costs while maintaining high-quality results.&nbsp;<h2>Why Perplexity believes efficiency will matter more</h2>Perplexity's strategy reflects a broader trend emerging across the AI industry. While many companies initially focused on accessing the most powerful AI models available, attention is now shifting towards efficiency and return on investment. Srinivas said that if an open-source model can complete a task successfully most of the time at a fraction of the cost, it often makes financial sense to use that model instead. "The future is still awesome for frontier intelligence," he said. "But it's not going to be mindless spending." This suggests the next phase of AI adoption may be defined not only by technological advances but also by how efficiently companies use those technologies.&nbsp;<h2>What Perplexity's IPO plans tell us about the AI market</h2>Perplexity's decision to maintain its 2028 IPO timeline shows confidence in the long-term future of artificial intelligence. The company appears to believe that demand for AI tools will continue growing, even as businesses become more selective about spending.At the same time, the success of upcoming IPOs from OpenAI, Anthropic and SpaceX could provide valuable insight into how investors view the future of AI. For now, Srinivas remains optimistic. He believes the leading AI companies continue to innovate rapidly and that investor interest in the sector remains strong. As some of the biggest technology listings in history approach, the next few years could become a defining period for the artificial intelligence industry and the companies leading it.

Perplexity plans a 2028 IPO as CEO Aravind Srinivas says AI listing wave is just beginning. With OpenAI, Anthropic and SpaceX nearing public markets, focus is shifting from rapid spending to efficient and cost-effective AI use.


Perplexity plans to launch its initial public offering (IPO) in 2028 regardless of how investors respond to upcoming listings from OpenAI and Anthropic, according to CEO Aravind Srinivas. Speaking to CNBC, Srinivas said the company's timeline remains unchanged even as some of the world's biggest artificial intelligence firms prepare to enter public markets. The comments come at a time when investor interest in AI companies is reaching new highs, with OpenAI, Anthropic and SpaceX all moving closer to major public offerings. Srinivas said Perplexity had already been planning a 2028 IPO and that recent developments in the market have not changed that strategy. Why OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs matter to the AI industry The AI industry is closely watching upcoming IPOs from some of its biggest players. Anthropic, the company behind Claude AI, recently filed confidentially for an IPO. OpenAI has also reportedly begun the process of preparing for a public listing. Both companies are among the most valuable AI firms in the world and are often referred to as "frontier AI labs" because they develop some of the most advanced AI models available today. Srinivas acknowledged that the success or failure of these listings could influence market sentiment. "I think it's important for the AI industry that these IPOs go well," he said during the interview. He also pointed to the upcoming SpaceX IPO as a potential indicator of investor appetite for large technology offerings. According to Srinivas, strong performances from these companies could strengthen confidence in the broader AI sector. Are AI company valuations justified? One of the biggest debates surrounding the AI industry is whether current valuations are sustainable. OpenAI and Anthropic have both attracted enormous investments, pushing their valuations to levels rarely seen in the technology sector. Srinivas believes those valuations are justified for now because the companies remain at the forefront of AI innovation. However, he warned that continued progress is essential. "If for six months you don't see a model capability advance from one of these two companies, then it's a problem for them," he said. The comment highlights a growing expectation among investors that AI companies must continue delivering breakthroughs to maintain their value. AI spending is becoming a major concern Another important topic discussed by Srinivas was the growing cost of artificial intelligence. As businesses adopt AI tools across departments, spending on AI services has increased significantly. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has previously described AI costs as a major issue for companies trying to scale usage. According to Srinivas, organisations are becoming more careful about how they spend money on AI. Instead of automatically choosing the most powerful model, businesses are increasingly looking for the most cost-effective solution for a particular task. This shift could reshape how companies deploy AI in the future. The rise of 'tokenmaxxing' Srinivas also discussed a trend known as "tokenmaxxing". The term refers to employees increasing their use of AI tools to appear more productive or technologically advanced. However, Srinivas argued that businesses are now moving beyond simply maximising AI usage. Instead, companies want AI systems that provide the best balance between performance and cost. Perplexity's platform already reflects this approach. The company's AI search engine can choose from multiple AI models depending on the user's request. For simpler tasks, the system may use a cheaper open-source model. For more complex requests, it can switch to advanced frontier models. According to Srinivas, this hybrid approach allows businesses to reduce costs while maintaining high-quality results. Why Perplexity believes efficiency will matter more Perplexity's strategy reflects a broader trend emerging across the AI industry. While many companies initially focused on accessing the most powerful AI models available, attention is now shifting towards efficiency and return on investment. Srinivas said that if an open-source model can complete a task successfully most of the time at a fraction of the cost, it often makes financial sense to use that model instead. "The future is still awesome for frontier intelligence," he said. "But it's not going to be mindless spending." This suggests the next phase of AI adoption may be defined not only by technological advances but also by how efficiently companies use those technologies. What Perplexity's IPO plans tell us about the AI market Perplexity's decision to maintain its 2028 IPO timeline shows confidence in the long-term future of artificial intelligence. The company appears to believe that demand for AI tools will continue growing, even as businesses become more selective about spending. At the same time, the success of upcoming IPOs from OpenAI, Anthropic and SpaceX could provide valuable insight into how investors view the future of AI. For now, Srinivas remains optimistic. He believes the leading AI companies continue to innovate rapidly and that investor interest in the sector remains strong. As some of the biggest technology listings in history approach, the next few years could become a defining period for the artificial intelligence industry and the companies leading it.

Perplexity plans a 2028 IPO as CEO Aravind Srinivas says AI listing wave is just beginning. With OpenAI, Anthropic and SpaceX nearing public markets, focus is shifting from rapid spending to efficient and cost-effective AI use.

OpenAI, Anthropic and SpaceX IPOs could shape the future of AI investing, says Perplexity CEO

AI company Perplexity has announced a new feature called "hybrid agentic inference" for its Personal Computer platform, aiming to solve one of the biggest challenges facing artificial intelligence today: deciding what should run on your device and what should run in the cloud. The company says the new system will automatically split AI tasks between local models running on a user's computer and larger, more powerful models operating in remote data centres. The goal is to improve privacy, reduce costs and deliver better performance without requiring users to make technical decisions themselves. The announcement comes as technology companies increasingly look for ways to combine the speed and privacy of on-device AI with the power of cloud-based systems.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today we&#39;re announcing that hybrid agentic inference is coming to Perplexity Computer. Computer can split tasks between a local model running on your machine and frontier models in the cloud. This keeps private data on your device and maximizes token efficiency. Coming soon. <a href="https://t.co/6t3PrmI1FX">pic.twitter.com/6t3PrmI1FX</a>&mdash; Perplexity (@perplexity_ai) <a href="https://x.com/perplexity_ai/status/2061861293569765847?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>What is hybrid agentic inference?</h2>Hybrid agentic inference is a system that allows AI workloads to be shared between a user's device and cloud-based AI models. Instead of sending every request to a remote server, Perplexity's system first evaluates the task and decides where different parts should be processed. For example, if a user asks an AI assistant to analyse financial records, personal documents or health information, the sensitive data can remain on the device. More complex reasoning tasks can then be sent to larger cloud-based AI models when additional computing power is needed. According to Perplexity, the entire process happens automatically without requiring users to choose between local and cloud processing.<h2>What is the 'orchestration problem'?</h2>At the centre of Perplexity's announcement is a concept known as the orchestration problem.As AI systems become more advanced, companies now have access to multiple models with different strengths. Some models are small and efficient enough to run on personal devices, while others require large-scale cloud infrastructure.The challenge is deciding:Which model should handle a task Where the task should be processed How data should move between systems When cloud resources are actually neededPerplexity says hybrid agentic inference is designed to solve this problem automatically.In simple terms, the system acts like an intelligent traffic controller, deciding which AI model is best suited for each part of a request.<h2>Why is Perplexity focusing on local AI?</h2>The company believes that modern computers are becoming powerful enough to handle a much larger share of AI workloads locally. Over the past few years, improvements in processors, graphics chips and dedicated AI hardware have made it possible to run increasingly capable AI models directly on laptops and desktops.Perplexity argues that local AI offers several advantages:Better privacy Faster response times Lower cloud computing costs Reduced dependence on remote servers Greater user control over personal dataThe company summed up its philosophy by saying that people would rather own "a data centre in their laptop" than depend entirely on infrastructure controlled by technology companies.<h2>How does the system protect sensitive data?</h2>Privacy is one of the main reasons behind the hybrid approach. According to Perplexity, a compact AI model running on the user's device first reviews requests and determines whether sensitive information should remain local.This could include:Financial records Medical information Personal documents Private business dataOnly tasks that require additional reasoning or processing power are sent to larger cloud models. The company believes this approach can reduce the amount of personal information transmitted to remote servers while still giving users access to advanced AI capabilities.<h2>Partnerships with Intel and Nvidia</h2>Perplexity introduced the technology alongside Intel and says the platform has been designed to work across multiple hardware ecosystems. The company also highlighted support for Nvidia's RTX Spark platform, one of the latest AI-focused computing architectures aimed at running advanced AI models locally. Importantly, Perplexity says its orchestration layer is model-agnostic. This means it is not tied to a specific AI model or hardware platform and can potentially operate across a range of processors, chips and AI environments.How does it compare with Apple, Google and Microsoft?Perplexity is not the only company pursuing a hybrid AI strategy. Several major technology firms have already introduced similar approaches:Apple Apple Intelligence combines on-device AI processing with Private Cloud Compute, allowing users to access larger AI models while keeping sensitive information protected.Google Google offers Gemini Nano for local AI processing on supported devices while relying on larger Gemini models in the cloud for more advanced tasks.Microsoft Microsoft has expanded local AI capabilities through its growing family of AI models and AI-focused Windows hardware.Perplexity argues that its key difference is automation. Rather than asking users or developers to decide where workloads should run, the system makes those decisions automatically as part of a single workflow.<h2>Why this matters for the future of AI</h2>The announcement highlights a growing shift in the AI industry. For years, the dominant model involved sending nearly all AI requests to large cloud data centres. However, the cost of operating advanced AI systems continues to rise, while concerns around privacy and data ownership are becoming more important. Hybrid AI is increasingly viewed as a practical solution because it combines the strengths of both approaches.Industry analysts expect future AI assistants to operate across multiple layers, using local processing whenever possible and cloud resources only when necessary.<h2>When will it be available?</h2>Perplexity says support for local inference on its Personal Computer platform is expected to begin rolling out in July. The company has not yet disclosed full hardware requirements or confirmed which devices will receive support first. However, the announcement suggests that Perplexity is positioning itself alongside Apple, Google and Microsoft in the growing race to make AI more personal, private and efficient. As AI becomes a larger part of everyday computing, systems capable of intelligently balancing local and cloud processing could play an increasingly important role in how users interact with technology.&nbsp;

Perplexity has introduced “hybrid agentic inference,” a system that automatically decides whether AI tasks should run on your device or in the cloud, aiming to boost privacy, performance, and efficiency in everyday AI use.

AI company Perplexity has announced a new feature called "hybrid agentic inference" for its Personal Computer platform, aiming to solve one of the biggest challenges facing artificial intelligence today: deciding what should run on your device and what should run in the cloud. The company says the new system will automatically split AI tasks between local models running on a user's computer and larger, more powerful models operating in remote data centres. The goal is to improve privacy, reduce costs and deliver better performance without requiring users to make technical decisions themselves. The announcement comes as technology companies increasingly look for ways to combine the speed and privacy of on-device AI with the power of cloud-based systems.

Perplexity has introduced “hybrid agentic inference,” a system that automatically decides whether AI tasks should run on your device or in the cloud, aiming to boost privacy, performance, and efficiency in everyday AI use.

Perplexity unveils hybrid agentic inference: What it is and why it matters

Artificial intelligence companies are now racing to build systems that do more than just answer questions. In the latest move, Perplexity AI has introduced a new product called Perplexity Computer a system designed to act as a general-purpose digital worker.&nbsp;According to the company’s blog and a post on X by CEO Aravind Srinivas, the product has been under development for the past two months. Srinivas described it as a system that “unifies every current capability of AI into a single system”.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Introducing Perplexity Computer. Computer unifies every current AI capability into one system. It can research, design, code, deploy, and manage any project end-to-end. <a href="https://t.co/dZUybl6VkY">pic.twitter.com/dZUybl6VkY</a>&mdash; Perplexity (@perplexity_ai) <a href="https://twitter.com/perplexity_ai/status/2026695550771540489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>What is Perplexity Computer?</h2>Perplexity Computer is not just another chatbot. The company says it is an “agentic” AI system meaning it can take action, not just give responses.&nbsp;Instead of replying with text, the system can:&nbsp;Research topics&nbsp;Design documents&nbsp;Write and test code&nbsp;Deploy projects&nbsp;Manage workflows&nbsp;Run for hours or even months&nbsp;Users simply describe the outcome they want. The system then breaks the task into smaller steps. These steps are handled by multiple specialised AI models, called “sub-agents”.&nbsp;For example, one model may handle reasoning, another coding, another research, and another image generation.&nbsp;<h2>19 AI models working together</h2>One of the key features of Perplexity Computer is that it does not rely on a single AI model.&nbsp;The company said the system currently operates 19 models. One focuses on reasoning, while others handle coding, web research, lightweight tasks or image-related work.&nbsp;Perplexity argues that as AI models become more specialised, it makes sense to combine them rather than depend on one system.&nbsp;In its blog post, the company explained that “multi-model orchestration” allows the AI to choose the best model for each task.&nbsp;Srinivas said models are treated as tools similar to file systems or command line tools rather than as standalone products.&nbsp;<h2>How does it work?</h2>Each task runs inside an isolated computing environment. According to Perplexity, the system has access to:&nbsp;A real browserA real file systemCommand-line toolsExternal integrationsThis means it can interact with software in a way that is similar to how a human would use a computer.&nbsp;The work is also asynchronous. Users can leave it running in the background while focusing on other tasks. The company even said users could run dozens of Perplexity Computers in parallel.&nbsp;<h2>Industry shift towards AI agents</h2>The launch reflects a wider shift in the AI industry. Companies are moving from conversational chatbots to systems that can perform real actions independently.&nbsp;AI agents are increasingly being designed to automate complex digital work from coding to document management and business processes.&nbsp;Perplexity Computer will first be available to subscribers of its Max tier. Pricing is usage-based, with monthly credits and optional spending caps. The company plans to expand access later to Pro and enterprise users after testing is complete.&nbsp;Perplexity described the product as what “a personal computer in 2026 should be”. Srinivas said AI is evolving from being just a tool to becoming the computer itself running workflows in the cloud.&nbsp;While it remains in early access, the launch shows how AI companies are competing to build systems that move beyond search and chat.&nbsp;The next phase of AI may not just answer your questions it may plan, execute and manage your projects from start to finish. &nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">What has Perplexity been up to last two months? We&#39;ve silently been working on the next big thing: Perplexity Computer. Computer unifies every current capability of AI into a single system. Files, tools, memory, and models, orchestrated together, working for you. <a href="https://t.co/1cwdiQxzKL">https://t.co/1cwdiQxzKL</a>&mdash; Aravind Srinivas (@AravSrinivas) <a href="https://twitter.com/AravSrinivas/status/2026695864039911684?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Perplexity AI has launched Perplexity Computer, an agentic AI system designed to act as a general-purpose digital worker. Unlike chatbots, it can research, code, deploy projects and manage workflows using 19 specialised AI models. 

Artificial intelligence companies are now racing to build systems that do more than just answer questions. In the latest move, Perplexity AI has introduced a new product called Perplexity Computer a system designed to act as a general-purpose digital worker. According to the company’s blog and a post on X by CEO Aravind Srinivas, the product has been under development for the past two months. Srinivas described it as a system that “unifies every current capability of AI into a single system”.

Perplexity AI has launched Perplexity Computer, an agentic AI system designed to act as a general-purpose digital worker. Unlike chatbots, it can research, code, deploy projects and manage workflows using 19 specialised AI models.&nbsp;

Perplexity launches ‘Perplexity Computer’: Can it actually run projects on your machine?

An eagerly watched legal battle between Amazon and Perplexity AI could redefine how we shop online. Amazon is challenging Perplexity AI’s Comet browser, which includes an AI assistant that can log into users’ shopping accounts and make purchases on their behalf. The court case is expected to shape the future of “agentic commerce”, where AI acts autonomously for users.&nbsp;<h2>Status of the Amazon vs Perplexity AI case on agentic shopping</h2>Amazon sent a cease-and-desist letter to Perplexity on October 31, and then filed a lawsuit four days later in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. Perplexity, in a blog post, aptly titled “Bullying is Not Innovation”, accused Amazon of trying to stifle progress and restrict user choices. No hearings have been scheduled yet, but the outcome could have ripple effects far beyond these two companies.<h2>Automated shopping: How the shopping bot on Comet browser of Perplexity AI works</h2>Comet’s users can tell the AI assistant what they want to buy, and it handles the rest — searching for products, comparing prices, adding items to the basket, and even checking out. Perplexity describes it as a personal assistant that knows exactly what you want and takes care of all the clicks for you.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/openai-aws-openai-strikes-mega-38b-cloud-deal-with-amazon-web-services-1762255380066/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/openai-aws-openai-strikes-mega-38b-cloud-deal-with-amazon-web-services-1762255380066/embed</a><h2>Why is Amazon suing Perplexity over its shopping bot?</h2>Amazon is accusing the startup of violating its terms of service. According to Amazon, Comet’s AI performs automated actions that are disguised as human browsing activity, effectively turning Comet into a “stealth browser”. Amazon argues that this poses potential security and privacy risks, including exposure of personal data and disruption of returns or refunds. The company also claims this could be computer fraud under the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and California’s Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/amazon-microsoft-accenture-and-more-here-s-a-list-of-companies-cutting-jobs-to-focus-on-ai-1761829243515">Amazon, Microsoft, Accenture and more: Here’s a list of companies cutting jobs to focus on AI</a><h2>What’s Perplexity saying about its shopping bot in Comet browser?</h2>Perplexity argues that Comet does not scrape data or store user information on its own servers. The company says the AI acts only under direct user instruction, while login credentials are kept locally on the user’s device. In its view, the AI assistant is not an unauthorised bot but an extension of the user — a digital stand-in acting with full consent.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/lack-of-market-research-or-tone-deaf-chinese-shopping-site-aliexpress-sells-lord-jagannath-doormat-online-devotees-outraged-1753788995615">Lack of market research or tone-deaf? Chinese shopping site AliExpress sells 'Lord Jagannath doormat’ online, devotees outraged</a><h2>At stake is a $50 billion advertising business of Amazon</h2>Perplexity accuses Amazon of trying to crush competition to protect its $50 billion advertising business, which depends heavily on data from human browsing and impulse purchases. If users delegate shopping to an AI that optimises for the best deal, rather than ‘sponsored results’, Amazon could lose control over which products people see, and which ads they click on.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/amazon-planning-to-replace-600-000-employees-with-robots-report-makes-massive-claim-1761116762286">Amazon&nbsp;planning to replace 600,000 employees with robots? Report makes massive claim</a><h2>How the Amazon vs Perplexity case could change online shopping</h2>The case is shaping up as a David vs Goliath battle. If the court sides with Amazon, it could lead to tighter restrictions on any AI that tries to browse websites or make purchases on behalf of users. Such a ruling might shut out smaller AI companies from building their own shopping assistants and further strengthen large tech platforms like Amazon.It’s worth noting that Amazon already has its own AI shopping tools, such as Rufus and “Buy for Me”, which operate within its website and mobile app.<h2>Agentic commerce is the future? If Perplexity wins, a new kind of online shopping could emerge</h2>Shopping online is hard work. It would be wonderful if a trustworthy AI could handle the task for you. Imagine a world where you simply say, “Find me the best deal on jeans,” and within seconds the AI compares dozens of stores, applies coupons, checks return policies, and completes the purchase — all without you clicking once.But convenience comes with challenges around security, trust and accountability. What happens if the AI buys the wrong items? Who is responsible if there’s a return dispute or a data breach caused by automated access? These legal and ethical questions are exactly what this lawsuit could begin to define.The core issue is whether Comet broke Amazon’s rules — and, more broadly, whether users have the right to let an AI act fully on their behalf online. Can a bot legally and safely shop for you? Or will platforms draw a harder line against any automation that bypasses their systems?The answer to these questions would shape the next decade of e-commerce, and decide who really controls the future of online shopping: the user or the platform. &nbsp;

Shopping online is hard work. It would be wonderful if a trustworthy AI could handle the task for you. Imagine a world where you simply say, “Find me the best deal on jeans,” and within seconds, the AI compares dozens of stores and completes the purchase. Is that the future?

An eagerly watched legal battle between Amazon and Perplexity AI could redefine how we shop online. Amazon is challenging Perplexity AI’s Comet browser, which includes an AI assistant that can log into users’ shopping accounts and make purchases on their behalf. The court case is expected to shape the future of “agentic commerce”, where AI acts autonomously for users. Status of the Amazon vs Perplexity AI case on agentic shopping Amazon sent a cease-and-desist letter to Perplexity on October 31, and then filed a lawsuit four days later in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. Perplexity, in a blog post, aptly titled “Bullying is Not Innovation”, accused Amazon of trying to stifle progress and restrict user choices. No hearings have been scheduled yet, but the outcome could have ripple effects far beyond these two companies. Automated shopping: How the shopping bot on Comet browser of Perplexity AI works Comet’s users can tell the AI assistant what they want to buy, and it handles the rest — searching for products, comparing prices, adding items to the basket, and even checking out. Perplexity describes it as a personal assistant that knows exactly what you want and takes care of all the clicks for you. https://www.wionews.com/videos/openai-aws-openai-strikes-mega-38b-cloud-deal-with-amazon-web-services-1762255380066/embed Why is Amazon suing Perplexity over its shopping bot? Amazon is accusing the startup of violating its terms of service. According to Amazon, Comet’s AI performs automated actions that are disguised as human browsing activity, effectively turning Comet into a “stealth browser”. Amazon argues that this poses potential security and privacy risks, including exposure of personal data and disruption of returns or refunds. The company also claims this could be computer fraud under the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and California’s Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act. Also read: Amazon, Microsoft, Accenture and more: Here’s a list of companies cutting jobs to focus on AI What’s Perplexity saying about its shopping bot in Comet browser? Perplexity argues that Comet does not scrape data or store user information on its own servers. The company says the AI acts only under direct user instruction, while login credentials are kept locally on the user’s device. In its view, the AI assistant is not an unauthorised bot but an extension of the user — a digital stand-in acting with full consent. Also read: Lack of market research or tone-deaf? Chinese shopping site AliExpress sells 'Lord Jagannath doormat’ online, devotees outraged At stake is a $50 billion advertising business of Amazon Perplexity accuses Amazon of trying to crush competition to protect its $50 billion advertising business, which depends heavily on data from human browsing and impulse purchases. If users delegate shopping to an AI that optimises for the best deal, rather than ‘sponsored results’, Amazon could lose control over which products people see, and which ads they click on. Also read: Amazon planning to replace 600,000 employees with robots? Report makes massive claim How the Amazon vs Perplexity case could change online shopping The case is shaping up as a David vs Goliath battle. If the court sides with Amazon, it could lead to tighter restrictions on any AI that tries to browse websites or make purchases on behalf of users. Such a ruling might shut out smaller AI companies from building their own shopping assistants and further strengthen large tech platforms like Amazon. It’s worth noting that Amazon already has its own AI shopping tools, such as Rufus and “Buy for Me”, which operate within its website and mobile app. Agentic commerce is the future? If Perplexity wins, a new kind of online shopping could emerge Shopping online is hard work. It would be wonderful if a trustworthy AI could handle the task for you. Imagine a world where you simply say, “Find me the best deal on jeans,” and within seconds the AI compares dozens of stores, applies coupons, checks return policies, and completes the purchase — all without you clicking once. But convenience comes with challenges around security, trust and accountability. What happens if the AI buys the wrong items? Who is responsible if there’s a return dispute or a data breach caused by automated access? These legal and ethical questions are exactly what this lawsuit could begin to define. The core issue is whether Comet broke Amazon’s rules — and, more broadly, whether users have the right to let an AI act fully on their behalf online. Can a bot legally and safely shop for you? Or will platforms draw a harder line against any automation that bypasses their systems? The answer to these questions would shape the next decade of e-commerce, and decide who really controls the future of online shopping: the user or the platform.

Shopping online is hard work. It would be wonderful if a trustworthy AI could handle the task for you. Imagine a world where you simply say, “Find me the best deal on jeans,” and within seconds, the AI compares dozens of stores and completes the purchase. Is that the future?

Can a bot really go ahead and shop for you? Why the Amazon vs Perplexity AI case could change the future of online shopping

On Monday (October 20), a major disruption hit a range of widely-used online services, including Amazon's cloud platform AWS, Robinhood, Snapchat, and Perplexity AI. The issue, tracked by Downdetector, appeared to stem from AWS, which supports much of the internet's infrastructure. According to Downdetector, over 2,000 reports of AWS outages emerged across the United States, with users struggling to access a variety of apps and services. Even Amazon’s own platforms, such as Amazon.com, Prime Video, and Alexa, faced connectivity problems.&nbsp;Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity AI, confirmed that the disruptions were directly linked to issues with AWS, which led to temporary interruptions in their operations. Other popular services also experienced sporadic outages, including Venmo, the peer-to-peer payments app from PayPal. AWS in a statement said, "We can confirm increased error rates and latencies for multiple AWS Services in the US-EAST-1 Region. This issue may also be affecting Case Creation through the AWS Support Center or the Support API. We are actively engaged and working to both mitigate the issue and understand root cause."&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/louvre-from-a-medieval-fortress-to-the-world-s-most-iconic-museum-know-its-history-and-significance-1760940102282">Louvre: From a medieval fortress to the world’s most iconic museum. Know its history and significance</a>&nbsp;The ripple effect was widespread, affecting numerous platforms that depend on AWS, including Canvas by Instructure, Crunchyroll, Roblox, Whatnot, Rainbow Six Siege, Coinbase, Canva, Duolingo, Goodreads, Ring, The New York Times, Life360, Fortnite, Apple TV, Verizon, Chime, McDonald’s App, CollegeBoard, Wordle, and PUBG Battlegrounds.Although some platforms have started to recover, users continued to report issues well into the afternoon. As of now, Amazon has not issued an official statement on the cause or duration of the outage.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/are-chatbots-the-new-spiritual-gurus-how-ai-is-shaping-modern-worship-and-beyond-1760944885345">Are chatbots the new spiritual gurus? How AI is shaping modern worship&nbsp;and&nbsp;beyond</a><h2>Here is the list of sites, apps affected</h2>Amazon.com Prime Video Alexa Robinhood Snapchat Perplexity AI Venmo Canvas by Instructure Crunchyroll Roblox Whatnot Rainbow Six Siege Coinbase Canva Duolingo Goodreads Ring The New York Times Life360 Fortnite Apple TV Verizon Chime McDonald’s App CollegeBoard Wordle PUBG Battlegrounds

Massive AWS outage disrupts multiple popular apps, including Amazon. Check the whole list here

On Monday (October 20), a major disruption hit a range of widely-used online services, including Amazon's cloud platform AWS, Robinhood, Snapchat, and Perplexity AI. The issue, tracked by Downdetector, appeared to stem from AWS, which supports much of the internet's infrastructure. According to Downdetector, over 2,000 reports of AWS outages emerged across the United States, with users struggling to access a variety of apps and services. Even Amazon’s own platforms, such as Amazon.com, Prime Video, and Alexa, faced connectivity problems. Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity AI, confirmed that the disruptions were directly linked to issues with AWS, which led to temporary interruptions in their operations. Other popular services also experienced sporadic outages, including Venmo, the peer-to-peer payments app from PayPal. AWS in a statement said, "We can confirm increased error rates and latencies for multiple AWS Services in the US-EAST-1 Region. This issue may also be affecting Case Creation through the AWS Support Center or the Support API. We are actively engaged and working to both mitigate the issue and understand root cause." Also Read: Louvre: From a medieval fortress to the world’s most iconic museum. Know its history and significance The ripple effect was widespread, affecting numerous platforms that depend on AWS, including Canvas by Instructure, Crunchyroll, Roblox, Whatnot, Rainbow Six Siege, Coinbase, Canva, Duolingo, Goodreads, Ring, The New York Times, Life360, Fortnite, Apple TV, Verizon, Chime, McDonald’s App, CollegeBoard, Wordle, and PUBG Battlegrounds. Although some platforms have started to recover, users continued to report issues well into the afternoon. As of now, Amazon has not issued an official statement on the cause or duration of the outage. Also Read: Are chatbots the new spiritual gurus? How AI is shaping modern worship and beyond Here is the list of sites, apps affected Amazon.com Prime Video Alexa Robinhood Snapchat Perplexity AI Venmo Canvas by Instructure Crunchyroll Roblox Whatnot Rainbow Six Siege Coinbase Canva Duolingo Goodreads Ring The New York Times Life360 Fortnite Apple TV Verizon Chime McDonald’s App CollegeBoard Wordle PUBG Battlegrounds

An AWS outage caused disruptions for major platforms like Amazon, Robinhood, Snapchat, Venmo, and more, with widespread connectivity issues reported

Artificial Intelligence chatbots these days can answer anything for you. I wanted to see if they can solve one of the most complex issues in today's world, the Russia-Ukraine war. I found most answers to be similar, exposing the biases and sources of these chatbots. And I found a key gap in all the answers. Let me break it down for you.<h2>I started with Gemini, and here's what it said on resolving Ukraine war</h2>Gemini, the chatbot owned by Google parent Alphabet, called Ukraine war "deeply complex, shaped by long-standing security, territorial, and political disputes," (as if I didn't know that). It said peace will need to address five core issues:<h3>1. Territorial disputes:</h3>Ukraine is seeking the return to its 1991 borders and rejects territorial concessions, while some proposals suggest land-for-peace compromises.<h3>2. Security guarantees:</h3>Ukraine seeks strong Western-backed protections against future aggression by Russia. Full NATO membership for Ukraine is unlikely, but alternatives include NATO-like arrangements, whereas Russia opposes any NATO ties for Ukraine, given its own national security concerns.<h3>3. Ceasefire:</h3>A pause in war is a first step, but timing and conditions are still disputed. While Ukraine favours an immediate ceasefire, Russia continues fighting even during negotiations.<h3>4. Sanctions and legal issues:</h3>Western sanctions on Russia are central to peace talks, and a deal will have to balance sanctions relief with upholding international law regarding Russia’s occupation.<h2>5. Demilitarisation and neutrality:</h2>Russia wants Ukraine to stay out of NATO and adopt armed neutrality, which some say would be similar to Switzerland.<h3>What are the obstacles for peace?</h3>Mutual distrust due to failed past agreements like the Minsk Accords, and conflicting goals are the impediments. Russia wants control and limits to Ukraine’s Western alignment, while Kyiv insists on full sovereignty and territorial integrity. Domestic politics in all involved nations are shaping public opinion and negotiation limits.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-war-war-spurs-ukrainian-startups-producing-missiles-drones-1755836068435/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-war-war-spurs-ukrainian-startups-producing-missiles-drones-1755836068435/embed</a><h2>What did other chatbots say about resolving the Ukraine war?</h2>After checking with Gemini, I went to four other chatbots: ChatGPT, Grok, Perplexity AI and DeepSeek AI. To my surprise, most of them gave similar answers, and even their sources were similar (more about that later). So for your easy understanding, I only picked what’s different in their answers.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-trump-imposed-tariffs-on-india-citing-russian-oil-purchase-press-secretary-leavitt-reveals-real-reason-1755664123235">Why Trump imposed tariffs on India citing Russian oil purchase? Press Secretary Leavitt reveals REAL reason</a>&nbsp;ChatGPT's new suggestions included step-by-step negotiations, more prisoner exchanges, creation of demilitarised zones, reconstruction of Ukraine through frozen Russian assets, more autonomy/federalisation, reconciliation, and Global South diplomacy.Grok suggested the introduction of some kind of ceasefire monitoring technology, temporary territorial leases, bilateral pacts, advanced military support, punishing Russia’s enablers, creation of buffer zones, and so on.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-laundromat-for-kremlin-top-us-official-slams-india-accuses-india-of-fuelling-russia-s-war-in-ukraine-1755798988515">‘Laundromat for Kremlin’: Top US official slams India, accuses India of fuelling Russia’s war in Ukraine</a>&nbsp;Perplexity AI advocated incremental peace steps instead of a complete end to the war, a legal referendum (but it also talked about hurdles), direct talks between Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and detailed international mediation proposals, among other things.DeepSeek stressed the emphasis on war fatigue in Ukraine and sought a balance between justice and realism.<h2>What’s the problem with AI answers to the Ukraine war question?</h2>With minor exceptions, most of the AI bots dipped into the same sources. This shows the limitations in AI model training. Russian arguments and sources were almost nil. This also reflects that Ukraine won the propaganda war while Russia, in spite of having a massive state media apparatus, could not bring its argument to the limelight. Clearly, a shadow banning of Russian outlets online by the search engines, owned by the very players who also the parents of most of these chatbots, is playing a role. Therefore, one would not hear much about the Russian-speaking regions of Ukraine, which possibly wanted self-rule or autonomy for years. Russia's security concerns about being surrounded by NATO or West-aligned nations is decades old. That concern did not find enough stress in the answers.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-war-vladimir-putin-volodymyr-zelensky-donbas-nato-security-guarantees-1755793568698">'If there is no peace, then there is more war': Putin lists 'three key demands' for ending Ukraine war - What are they?</a><h2>So what do I make of AI answers to Ukraine war?</h2>Much of AI answers are shaped by what they refer to: mostly Western media and Western digital outlets and reference sites. A balanced approach is lacking and pro-West bias is evident. Any solution to the war as given by the chatbots will not be agreeable to Russia. It exposes the need for a deeper understanding of the long-standing issues between Russia and the West that ignited the conflict. Moscow sees Ukraine as the amplifier of Western military interests across its border. Putin's lifelong fear was the flanking of his nation by the West. Those fears, which are at the core of his decision to invade Ukraine, did not find mention in the AI answers.&nbsp;I'd better head to the library.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Can AI chatbots solve the complex Russia-Ukraine war? After asking five chatbots the same question, I found their answers largely similar and biased towards Western perspectives. Some arguments and perspectives are absent or lacking. Deliberately so?


Artificial Intelligence chatbots these days can answer anything for you. I wanted to see if they can solve one of the most complex issues in today's world, the Russia-Ukraine war. I found most answers to be similar, exposing the biases and sources of these chatbots. And I found a key gap in all the answers. Let me break it down for you. I started with Gemini, and here's what it said on resolving Ukraine war Gemini, the chatbot owned by Google parent Alphabet, called Ukraine war "deeply complex, shaped by long-standing security, territorial, and political disputes," (as if I didn't know that). It said peace will need to address five core issues: 1. Territorial disputes: Ukraine is seeking the return to its 1991 borders and rejects territorial concessions, while some proposals suggest land-for-peace compromises. 2. Security guarantees: Ukraine seeks strong Western-backed protections against future aggression by Russia. Full NATO membership for Ukraine is unlikely, but alternatives include NATO-like arrangements, whereas Russia opposes any NATO ties for Ukraine, given its own national security concerns. 3. Ceasefire: A pause in war is a first step, but timing and conditions are still disputed. While Ukraine favours an immediate ceasefire, Russia continues fighting even during negotiations. 4. Sanctions and legal issues: Western sanctions on Russia are central to peace talks, and a deal will have to balance sanctions relief with upholding international law regarding Russia’s occupation. 5. Demilitarisation and neutrality: Russia wants Ukraine to stay out of NATO and adopt armed neutrality, which some say would be similar to Switzerland. What are the obstacles for peace? Mutual distrust due to failed past agreements like the Minsk Accords, and conflicting goals are the impediments. Russia wants control and limits to Ukraine’s Western alignment, while Kyiv insists on full sovereignty and territorial integrity. Domestic politics in all involved nations are shaping public opinion and negotiation limits. https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-war-war-spurs-ukrainian-startups-producing-missiles-drones-1755836068435/embed What did other chatbots say about resolving the Ukraine war? After checking with Gemini, I went to four other chatbots: ChatGPT, Grok, Perplexity AI and DeepSeek AI. To my surprise, most of them gave similar answers, and even their sources were similar (more about that later). So for your easy understanding, I only picked what’s different in their answers. Also read: Why Trump imposed tariffs on India citing Russian oil purchase? Press Secretary Leavitt reveals REAL reason ChatGPT's new suggestions included step-by-step negotiations, more prisoner exchanges, creation of demilitarised zones, reconstruction of Ukraine through frozen Russian assets, more autonomy/federalisation, reconciliation, and Global South diplomacy. Grok suggested the introduction of some kind of ceasefire monitoring technology, temporary territorial leases, bilateral pacts, advanced military support, punishing Russia’s enablers, creation of buffer zones, and so on. Also read: ‘Laundromat for Kremlin’: Top US official slams India, accuses India of fuelling Russia’s war in Ukraine Perplexity AI advocated incremental peace steps instead of a complete end to the war, a legal referendum (but it also talked about hurdles), direct talks between Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and detailed international mediation proposals, among other things. DeepSeek stressed the emphasis on war fatigue in Ukraine and sought a balance between justice and realism. What’s the problem with AI answers to the Ukraine war question? With minor exceptions, most of the AI bots dipped into the same sources. This shows the limitations in AI model training. Russian arguments and sources were almost nil. This also reflects that Ukraine won the propaganda war while Russia, in spite of having a massive state media apparatus, could not bring its argument to the limelight. Clearly, a shadow banning of Russian outlets online by the search engines, owned by the very players who also the parents of most of these chatbots, is playing a role. Therefore, one would not hear much about the Russian-speaking regions of Ukraine, which possibly wanted self-rule or autonomy for years. Russia's security concerns about being surrounded by NATO or West-aligned nations is decades old. That concern did not find enough stress in the answers. Also read: 'If there is no peace, then there is more war': Putin lists 'three key demands' for ending Ukraine war - What are they? So what do I make of AI answers to Ukraine war? Much of AI answers are shaped by what they refer to: mostly Western media and Western digital outlets and reference sites. A balanced approach is lacking and pro-West bias is evident. Any solution to the war as given by the chatbots will not be agreeable to Russia. It exposes the need for a deeper understanding of the long-standing issues between Russia and the West that ignited the conflict. Moscow sees Ukraine as the amplifier of Western military interests across its border. Putin's lifelong fear was the flanking of his nation by the West. Those fears, which are at the core of his decision to invade Ukraine, did not find mention in the AI answers. I'd better head to the library.

Can AI chatbots solve the complex Russia-Ukraine war? After asking five chatbots the same question, I found their answers largely similar and biased towards Western perspectives. Some arguments and perspectives are absent or lacking. Deliberately so? &nbsp;

Can AI solve Ukraine war? I asked five chatbots the same question and here's what they said. But there's a problem...

In a move set to shake up Silicon Valley, Perplexity AI, a three-year-old artificial intelligence startup, has submitted an unsolicited all-cash bid of $34.5 billion to acquire Google Chrome, the world’s most popular web browser. The bid, significantly higher than the company’s current valuation of $14 billion, underscores Perplexity’s aggressive strategy to expand its footprint in the browser market, leveraging Chrome’s massive user base of over three billion people.The offer arrives at a critical juncture for Google, which is facing mounting regulatory pressure over its alleged monopolistic practices in the search industry. Recently, a US court ruled that Google holds an unlawful monopoly in online search, with some legal experts suggesting that the forced divestiture of Chrome could be one of the remedies. Although Google has vowed to appeal the decision, Perplexity’s offer reflects the growing importance of web browsers in the AI search race.<h2>Perplexity’s plan to keep Chrome open and invest $3 billion</h2>Perplexity, which already develops an AI-powered browser named Comet, plans to keep Chrome’s underlying code, Chromium, open-source, thereby maintaining the browser’s integrity for developers and users alike. The startup also promises to invest $3 billion over the next two years to further enhance Chrome’s capabilities and continue its development. Importantly, Perplexity has pledged not to make any changes to the browser’s default search engine, which is currently Google Search, aiming to maintain stability for both users and advertisers.The deal is structured to avoid antitrust concerns, as Perplexity’s offer does not involve any equity component in the company itself. According to a term sheet reviewed by Reuters, Perplexity would also commit to retaining a substantial portion of Chrome’s existing team to ensure a smooth transition and continuity of service. Several unnamed investment funds have reportedly agreed to fully finance the deal, signalling strong backing for the bold proposal.<h2>Google’s response and legal hurdles ahead</h2>Despite Perplexity’s ambitious offer, it remains unclear whether Google will entertain the proposal. The tech giant, which has consistently resisted calls for Chrome’s sale, is expected to engage in a prolonged legal battle to protect its interests. Legal experts suggest that the antitrust case could take several years to resolve, with the possibility of the matter ultimately reaching the US Supreme Court.While Perplexity’s offer is likely a strategic move to ruffle Google’s feathers and make a play for the browser market, the stakes are high. A successful acquisition of Chrome could propel Perplexity into direct competition with some of the biggest names in AI, including OpenAI, which is also developing its own AI-powered browser. However, even if Google ultimately rejects the offer, Perplexity’s bold bid signals the growing prominence of web browsers in the next-generation AI landscape.&nbsp;&nbsp;(With inputs from agencies)

Recently, a US court ruled that Google holds an unlawful monopoly in online search, with some suggesting a forced divestiture of Chrome as a remedy. Although Google has vowed to appeal the decision, Perplexity’s offer reflects the growing importance of web browsers in the AI search race.

In a move set to shake up Silicon Valley, Perplexity AI, a three-year-old artificial intelligence startup, has submitted an unsolicited all-cash bid of $34.5 billion to acquire Google Chrome, the world’s most popular web browser. The bid, significantly higher than the company’s current valuation of $14 billion, underscores Perplexity’s aggressive strategy to expand its footprint in the browser market, leveraging Chrome’s massive user base of over three billion people. The offer arrives at a critical juncture for Google, which is facing mounting regulatory pressure over its alleged monopolistic practices in the search industry. Recently, a US court ruled that Google holds an unlawful monopoly in online search, with some legal experts suggesting that the forced divestiture of Chrome could be one of the remedies. Although Google has vowed to appeal the decision, Perplexity’s offer reflects the growing importance of web browsers in the AI search race. Perplexity’s plan to keep Chrome open and invest $3 billion Perplexity, which already develops an AI-powered browser named Comet, plans to keep Chrome’s underlying code, Chromium, open-source, thereby maintaining the browser’s integrity for developers and users alike. The startup also promises to invest $3 billion over the next two years to further enhance Chrome’s capabilities and continue its development. Importantly, Perplexity has pledged not to make any changes to the browser’s default search engine, which is currently Google Search, aiming to maintain stability for both users and advertisers. The deal is structured to avoid antitrust concerns, as Perplexity’s offer does not involve any equity component in the company itself. According to a term sheet reviewed by Reuters, Perplexity would also commit to retaining a substantial portion of Chrome’s existing team to ensure a smooth transition and continuity of service. Several unnamed investment funds have reportedly agreed to fully finance the deal, signalling strong backing for the bold proposal. Google’s response and legal hurdles ahead Despite Perplexity’s ambitious offer, it remains unclear whether Google will entertain the proposal. The tech giant, which has consistently resisted calls for Chrome’s sale, is expected to engage in a prolonged legal battle to protect its interests. Legal experts suggest that the antitrust case could take several years to resolve, with the possibility of the matter ultimately reaching the US Supreme Court. While Perplexity’s offer is likely a strategic move to ruffle Google’s feathers and make a play for the browser market, the stakes are high. A successful acquisition of Chrome could propel Perplexity into direct competition with some of the biggest names in AI, including OpenAI, which is also developing its own AI-powered browser. However, even if Google ultimately rejects the offer, Perplexity’s bold bid signals the growing prominence of web browsers in the next-generation AI landscape. (With inputs from agencies)

Recently, a US court ruled that Google holds an unlawful monopoly in online search, with some suggesting a forced divestiture of Chrome as a remedy. Although Google has vowed to appeal the decision, Perplexity’s offer reflects the growing importance of web browsers in the AI search race.

Perplexity AI makes bold $34.5 billion offer to acquire Google Chrome amid antitrust scrutiny

In a bold move, Perplexity AI offered Google $34.5 billion on Tuesday to acquire its widely used Chrome web browser. The tech giant could be compelled to sell this asset as part of ongoing antitrust proceedings. The offered sum, outlined in a letter of intent, is nearly double the value of Perplexity's own estimate of $18 billion from its most recent funding round.&nbsp;"This proposal is designed to satisfy an antitrust remedy in the highest public interest by placing Chrome with a capable, independent operator focused on continuity, openness, and consumer protection," Perplexity chief executive Aravind Srinivas said, AFP reported.&nbsp;Google is currently awaiting US District Court Judge Amit Mehta's ruling on potential "remedies" after last year's landmark judgment that found the tech giant company maintaining an illegal monopoly in online search.<h3>What's Google's official response?</h3>US government attorneys have pushed for Google to divest the Chrome browser, warning that the rise of artificial intelligence could further strengthen its dominance as the internet's dominant gateway.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Google has requested that the court reject the divestment, with a decision from Mehta expected by the end of the month. But Google has not issued an official response to the bid from Perplexity AI. However, analysts at Baird Equity Research dismissed the proposal, stating that it severely undervalues Chrome and "should not be taken seriously."&nbsp;One of the Baird analysts theorised that the AI startup could be trying to spark others to bid or "influence the pending decision" in the antitrust case, as it already has a browser that competes with Chrome.&nbsp;"Either way, we believe Perplexity would view an independent Chrome -- or one no longer affiliated with Google -- as an advantage as it attempts to take browser share," Baird analysts told investors.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/perplexity-denies-cloudflare-accusation-of-secretly-scraping-restricted-websites-1754488233534">Perplexity denies Cloudflare accusation of secretly scraping restricted websites</a>

Dismissing the proposal, analysts at Baird Equity Research said that it severely undervalues Chrome and "should not be taken seriously."

In a bold move, Perplexity AI offered Google $34.5 billion on Tuesday to acquire its widely used Chrome web browser. The tech giant could be compelled to sell this asset as part of ongoing antitrust proceedings. The offered sum, outlined in a letter of intent, is nearly double the value of Perplexity's own estimate of $18 billion from its most recent funding round. "This proposal is designed to satisfy an antitrust remedy in the highest public interest by placing Chrome with a capable, independent operator focused on continuity, openness, and consumer protection," Perplexity chief executive Aravind Srinivas said, AFP reported. Google is currently awaiting US District Court Judge Amit Mehta's ruling on potential "remedies" after last year's landmark judgment that found the tech giant company maintaining an illegal monopoly in online search. What's Google's official response? US government attorneys have pushed for Google to divest the Chrome browser, warning that the rise of artificial intelligence could further strengthen its dominance as the internet's dominant gateway. Meanwhile, Google has requested that the court reject the divestment, with a decision from Mehta expected by the end of the month. But Google has not issued an official response to the bid from Perplexity AI. However, analysts at Baird Equity Research dismissed the proposal, stating that it severely undervalues Chrome and "should not be taken seriously." One of the Baird analysts theorised that the AI startup could be trying to spark others to bid or "influence the pending decision" in the antitrust case, as it already has a browser that competes with Chrome. "Either way, we believe Perplexity would view an independent Chrome -- or one no longer affiliated with Google -- as an advantage as it attempts to take browser share," Baird analysts told investors. Also read: Perplexity denies Cloudflare accusation of secretly scraping restricted websites

Dismissing the proposal, analysts at Baird Equity Research said that it severely undervalues Chrome and "should not be taken seriously."

Google Chrome for sale? Perplexity AI makes bold $34.5B offer to buy it amid antitrust row

Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, one of the world's biggest by circulation, is suing US-based AI firm Perplexity for allegedly "free-riding" on its content on its search engine. The lawsuit filed Thursday is one of a slew by media companies worldwide against AI firms using their material and is the first by a major Japanese news organisation, Yomiuri said.&nbsp;It accuses Perplexity of "free-riding on the results of the activities of news organisations, which have invested a great deal of effort and expense". A spokesman for the paper added that this "could have a negative impact on accurate journalism... and shake the foundations of democracy".&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/perplexity-denies-cloudflare-accusation-of-secretly-scraping-restricted-websites-1754488233534">Perplexity denies Cloudflare accusation of secretly scraping restricted websites</a>&nbsp;The lawsuit filed in Tokyo seeks damages of 2.2 billion yen ($14.7 million), equivalent to 120,000 Yomuiri articles used "without permission" between February and June. It is also seeking damages for lost advertising revenue, saying that Perplexity users click only on its search summaries and not on the newspaper's website, reducing traffic.&nbsp;The Yomiuri, with a daily circulation of around six million -- down from over 10 million in 2010 -- and some 2,500 reporters, is one of five major daily newspapers in Japan. Perplexity was not immediately available for comment.&nbsp;After a lawsuit by the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post in October, Perplexity criticised the "adversarial posture" of many media as "shortsighted, unnecessary, and self-defeating".&nbsp;They "prefer to live in a world where publicly reported facts are owned by corporations, and no one can do anything with those publicly reported facts without paying a toll," it said."We should all be working together to offer people amazing new tools and build genuinely pie-expanding businesses." &nbsp;

Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, one of the world's biggest by circulation, is suing US-based AI firm Perplexity for allegedly "free-riding" on its content on its search engine. 

Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, one of the world's biggest by circulation, is suing US-based AI firm Perplexity for allegedly "free-riding" on its content on its search engine. The lawsuit filed Thursday is one of a slew by media companies worldwide against AI firms using their material and is the first by a major Japanese news organisation, Yomiuri said. It accuses Perplexity of "free-riding on the results of the activities of news organisations, which have invested a great deal of effort and expense". A spokesman for the paper added that this "could have a negative impact on accurate journalism... and shake the foundations of democracy". Also read: Perplexity denies Cloudflare accusation of secretly scraping restricted websites The lawsuit filed in Tokyo seeks damages of 2.2 billion yen ($14.7 million), equivalent to 120,000 Yomuiri articles used "without permission" between February and June. It is also seeking damages for lost advertising revenue, saying that Perplexity users click only on its search summaries and not on the newspaper's website, reducing traffic. The Yomiuri, with a daily circulation of around six million -- down from over 10 million in 2010 -- and some 2,500 reporters, is one of five major daily newspapers in Japan. Perplexity was not immediately available for comment. After a lawsuit by the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post in October, Perplexity criticised the "adversarial posture" of many media as "shortsighted, unnecessary, and self-defeating". They "prefer to live in a world where publicly reported facts are owned by corporations, and no one can do anything with those publicly reported facts without paying a toll," it said. "We should all be working together to offer people amazing new tools and build genuinely pie-expanding businesses."

Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, one of the world's biggest by circulation, is suing US-based AI firm Perplexity for allegedly "free-riding" on its content on its search engine.&nbsp;

'120,000 articles without permission': Japan newspaper accuses Perplexity AI

AI search startup Perplexity is facing strong criticism after Cloudflare, which is a web infrastructure company, published a <a href="https://blog.cloudflare.com/perplexity-is-using-stealth-undeclared-crawlers-to-evade-website-no-crawl-directives/&nbsp;">blog</a> post accusing it of bypassing site restrictions to collect web data.&nbsp;This comes shortly after Perplexity launched its Comet browser, which focuses on agent-based internet browsing powered by AI. In a blog post published by Cloudflare, the company claims that Perplexity has been scraping websites that requested not to be analysed by bots. This scraping reportedly continued even after site owners blocked access through standard rules and tools.&nbsp;<h2>Perplexity accused of disguising its bot activity</h2>Cloudflare conducted its own tests to investigate these claims. According to their blog, the company created new domains that explicitly requested not to be scraped. They then asked Perplexity AI questions about these domains. Surprisingly, Perplexity was still able to return information about the pages, despite access being denied.&nbsp;Cloudflare said that Perplexity may be changing the "user agent" of its crawler. Which means that the bot pretends to be a normal web visitor, rather than an AI tool, allowing it to access sites that have blocked AI crawlers.&nbsp;“This unusual activity was observed across tens of thousands of domains and millions of requests per day,” as mentioned by Cloudflare. They added that it used machine learning and network signals to identify the scraping pattern.&nbsp;<h2>Perplexity responds to the allegations</h2>In response, Jesse Dwyer, who is a spokesperson for Perplexity, told TechCrunch that the blog post was more of a marketing attempt by Cloudflare rather than an objective report. Dwyer said, “The screenshots in the blog show that no content was accessed.” She also claimed that the crawler named in the post “isn’t even ours”. Perplexity has denied any wrongdoing.&nbsp;<h2>The bigger debate: How AI gathers information</h2>AI tools like Perplexity, Claude, and ChatGPT rely on vast amounts of web content to train and answer user queries. These tools often scan forums, articles, and blogs to improve performance. This is done to improve the performance of the both and the agentic ai&nbsp;However, concerns are growing around data transparency and the ethics of content scraping. Some AI companies, such as OpenAI and Anthropic, have started offering opt-out options for websites. There is now increasing pressure on the AI industry to adopt clear guidelines on data collection.&nbsp;Cloudflare has taken a firm stance, stating that the current approach by some AI companies is “breaking the business model of the internet”. The company now aims to push back against unauthorised data scraping.

Cloudflare accuses AI platform Perplexity of ignoring site restrictions by using stealth crawlers that impersonate browsers and rotate IPs. The firm claims Perplexity accessed blocked domains. Perplexity denies wrongdoing, calling it a misunderstanding. 

AI search startup Perplexity is facing strong criticism after Cloudflare, which is a web infrastructure company, published a blog post accusing it of bypassing site restrictions to collect web data. This comes shortly after Perplexity launched its Comet browser, which focuses on agent-based internet browsing powered by AI. In a blog post published by Cloudflare, the company claims that Perplexity has been scraping websites that requested not to be analysed by bots. This scraping reportedly continued even after site owners blocked access through standard rules and tools. Perplexity accused of disguising its bot activity Cloudflare conducted its own tests to investigate these claims. According to their blog, the company created new domains that explicitly requested not to be scraped. They then asked Perplexity AI questions about these domains. Surprisingly, Perplexity was still able to return information about the pages, despite access being denied. Cloudflare said that Perplexity may be changing the "user agent" of its crawler. Which means that the bot pretends to be a normal web visitor, rather than an AI tool, allowing it to access sites that have blocked AI crawlers. “This unusual activity was observed across tens of thousands of domains and millions of requests per day,” as mentioned by Cloudflare. They added that it used machine learning and network signals to identify the scraping pattern. Perplexity responds to the allegations In response, Jesse Dwyer, who is a spokesperson for Perplexity, told TechCrunch that the blog post was more of a marketing attempt by Cloudflare rather than an objective report. Dwyer said, “The screenshots in the blog show that no content was accessed.” She also claimed that the crawler named in the post “isn’t even ours”. Perplexity has denied any wrongdoing. The bigger debate: How AI gathers information AI tools like Perplexity, Claude, and ChatGPT rely on vast amounts of web content to train and answer user queries. These tools often scan forums, articles, and blogs to improve performance. This is done to improve the performance of the both and the agentic ai However, concerns are growing around data transparency and the ethics of content scraping. Some AI companies, such as OpenAI and Anthropic, have started offering opt-out options for websites. There is now increasing pressure on the AI industry to adopt clear guidelines on data collection. Cloudflare has taken a firm stance, stating that the current approach by some AI companies is “breaking the business model of the internet”. The company now aims to push back against unauthorised data scraping.

Cloudflare accuses AI platform Perplexity of ignoring site restrictions by using stealth crawlers that impersonate browsers and rotate IPs. The firm claims Perplexity accessed blocked domains. Perplexity denies wrongdoing, calling it a misunderstanding.&nbsp;

Perplexity denies Cloudflare accusation of secretly scraping restricted websites

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